Nick Meyer
Period 3
Hamlet
A popular topic of discussion for Shakespearian critics is whether or not Hamlet is
sane at various points in the play. Usually, this digresses into a question of at what point
Hamlet crosses the fine line which marks the bounds of sanity into the realm of insanity.
This is a confusing matter to sort out, due to the fact that it is hard to tell when the prince
is acting, and when he is really and truly out of his mind. The matter of determining the
time of crossing over is further complicated by the fact that everyone around him is
constantly speaking of madness. At the end we must either conclude that Hamlet is an
extremely talented actor capable of staying in character under the most trying
circumstances, or that he is human and as a result his sanity gives way to the many
external emotional barrages coming his way. The more likely conclusion is that Hamlet
is at some point insane. What is left to discover is at what point does this crossover
occur, and second, what are the main contributing factors in his mental collapse. I will
ignore the issue of the point of crossover, and let another paper consider that point.
Rather, I propose that Hamlet's religious beliefs, acquired at the University of
Wittenberg, heavily contributed to the loss of his sanity.
According to the commentary at the beginning of the Folger's Library edition of
Hamlet, the prince studied at the University of Wittenberg. The commentary also states
that the play was most likely first performed around 1600. Coincidentally (or not), this is
near to the time at which Martin Luther held the position of Professor of Theology at
Wittenberg. It was while teaching at Wittenberg that Luther had what is referred to as the
“Tower Experience,” or when he came to the realization that salvation is reached not
through good works, but through faith. This “experience” was the launching point for
what would become the reformation – the center of which was the University.
Although Martin Luther died in 1546, and therefore he would not have been
present at the time of Hamlet's attendance, the effects of his work at the University were
permanent. It is therefore extremely likely that Hamlet became a protestant in the midst
of the reformation. This conjecture is textually supported in III.iii.76-90:
Hamlet:
Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;
And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven,
And so am I revenged. That would be scanned.
A villain kills my father; and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send
To heaven.
Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge!
He took my father grossly, full of bread,
With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May;
And how his audit stands, who knows save heaven?
But in our circumstance and course of thought,
'Tis heavy with him; and am I then revenged,
To take him in the purging of his soul, When he is fit and seasoned for his
passage?
No.
Hamlet makes his belief in god known at multiple points in the play, including
upon first contact with the ghost of the late king, but in this scene he distinguishes himself
as not adhering to traditional catholic beliefs. In spite of the many infractions committed
by Claudius (which Hamlet takes care to list in full), Hamlet believes that since Claudius
is in a state of repentance, he would go to heaven if killed at that moment. This coincides
with the teachings of Luther, based on Romans 1.17:
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed
through faith for faith; as it is written,
“The one who is righteous will live by faith.”
Further evidence for the strength of Hamlet's religious beliefs can be inferred by
the nature of the University of Wittenberg, and the type of men who attend such an
institution. According to the commentary in the Folger's Edition:
Hamlet, possessed of a finely trained intellect, is man with a philosophic
approach to life. He has been at the University of Wittenberg, where he
has engaged in the subtleties of intellectual speculation. By training,
such a man learns to analyze problems and his responses are never
automatic because his decisions come after contemplation rather than
from impulse. Though he may be slow to make a decision, that decision
will be based on reason.
This interpretation of Hamlet's personality is verified in III.iii, as instead of going
ahead and avenging his father when Claudius was alone and vulnerable, Hamlet paused
in time to determine the time was not right. Given that this analysis of Hamlet's
personality is correct, it can be deduced that Hamlet's religious beliefs are not based
solely on blind faith, but are rather supported by a significant amount of analysis and
contemplation. This logical basis significantly strengthens a belief that cannot be
supported merely through observation of the world around him.
But how does Hamlet's belief in God, a belief that is supposed to only bring
happiness and hope, make itself a part of the many factors that contribute to the loss of
his sanity? The answer to this lies in how strong his beliefs are – for as events unfold,
Hamlet finds himself in situations where what he learned about God and salvation at
Wittenberg conflicts with what is going on at the moment. Hamlet, struggling to
reconcile God and his feelings, is slowly driven to madness.
The main event that contributes to Hamlet's loss of sanity is the appearance of the
Ghost. Hamlet adored his father, and he never doubted, despite the protestant belief that
salvation cannot be reached through good works, that his father went to heaven. But
when his father's ghost reveals that he is in fact not of heaven, Hamlet cries out to god:
Ghost:
I am thy father's spirit,
Doomed for a certain term to walk the night,
And for the day confined to fast in fires,
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid
to tell the secrets of my prison house,
I could a tale unfold whose lightest word
Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood,
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres,
Thy knotted and combined locks to part,
And each particular hair to stand on end
Like quills upon the fretful porpentine.
But this eternal blazon must not be
To ears of flesh and blood. List, list, O, list!
If thou didst ever thy dear father love Hamlet:
Oh God!
Hamlet is shocked. His father, who he believes to have done many good works
during his time as king, has not reached heaven. While this news does provide Hamlet
proof that Luther's teachings are in fact true, any comfort that information gives him is
overshadowed by Hamlet's confusion with God. Hamlet's shock is compounded by the
ghost's words, such as “foul crimes”, chosen to be exactly opposite to what how Hamlet
would describe his father prior to this meeting. This rapid succession of horrifying
information most likely caused Hamlet, in a rare moment of impulsive thinking (which
can be used as a guide to whether Hamlet is sane at a specific moment), to question the
logic of god - how could a just god condemn such a noble man as his father? In this
moment the nature of the late king's death is revealed, and Hamlet agrees to seek revenge
upon Claudius.
It could be argued, that Hamlet's father specifically engineered his method of
request to take advantage of Hamlet's beliefs. Had Hamlet been thinking clearly, maybe
he would have denied his father's request in the name of the ten commandments, but
instead Hamlet promises to kill the new King. It is this promise that causes Hamlet's
gradual slide into the realm of insanity.
After parting with the ghost, Hamlet realizes the magnitude of his promise.
Hamlet has promised his father, whom he idolizes, to not only violate the ten
commandments through murder, but also to act in the name of revenge. Both these acts
are strictly forbidden according to his beliefs. On the other hand, the commandments
also command him to honor his father and mother. Hamlet is left with the burden of
deciding whether to do his father's will or god's will. This can be seen as a choice
between his two fathers, the one of earth and the one of heaven.
Hamlet's beliefs are so strong, and his love for his father so great, he tries to
avoid making the decision by proving the ghost is not lying. When Hamlet's experiment
with the players verifies the ghost's story, Hamlet realizes he must choose which father to
follow. Does he go against the teachings of the church and commit the act of revengeful
murder? Or does he ignore the wishes of the father he adored? Choosing either path
means disappointing one of them. The burden this decision leads Hamlet to finally fall
from the plane of sanity.